things i adored in july

and just like that, july is over?!

And just like that, July is over?! I can’t dwell too much on the passage of time or I will spiral into an existential crisis, but somehow, here we are, closer to fall than spring and I am closer to 30 than 29. Thankfully, July was filled with a lot of quality time with my loved ones, and there were a lot of special moments to celebrate. With that in mind…

Here we go! My July favorites:

miscellaneous favorites:

• wearing no makeup + red lipstick

• going to bed early + waking up early

• McDonald’s pancakes

• seeing Noah Kahan live with my sister!

• ordering lemonade at any and every restaurant

• painting

• taking sick days from work as a form of self-care

• outfit repeating

• writing handwritten birthday cards

• baby tees

• taking reformer pilates classes before work (still)

• yuzu lemonade

products I am loving:

• greeting cards from Greenwich Letterpress: This place is truly one of my favorite stores on the planet, and they have the best selection of greeting cards, stickers, and stationary. I would add this shop to your must-see list in New York City, but you can get most of their products online, too.

music I am listening to on repeat:

• Music, Fashion, Film - Charli xcx: Ugh, this album is so fun and exactly what I was hoping to hear from Charli. Some standouts to me include “2007” and “No One Lasts Forever featuring David Cronenberg,” but I thought this was a fun, just-the-right-amount-of-cohesive album from Charli.

• “Baby Now That I Found You” - Ella Bright + Niall Horan: An Off Campus and Niall collaboration?! I couldn’t ask for more. I love how their voices blend together. This song is so sweet.

• “Afflictions” - Gracie Abrams: My honest opinion of the new Gracie album is that I (sadly) do not love it. Personally, I would love to see Gracie explore different production techniques a bit more and I would also love to see her get hyper-specific with her songwriting. This song in particular was a standout for me — the lyrics felt genuine and visceral.

• “GODSPEED” - Camila Cabello

• “oh well” - Ariana Grande

TV & movie favorites:

• Elle: This show was so cute! I adore Legally Blonde and I love that the universe was expanded. I enjoyed this overall, and I also think they perfectly casted Elle!

• The Invite: This movie pleasantly surprised me in so many ways. I walked into the theater with no expectations, and I left with a full heart. I laughed a ton, and the ending really struck a chord with me. One of my favorites of the year!

• Hadestown: The Musical: I love this musical so very much, and it was such a cool opportunity to see the original cast perform it onscreen. Eva and Reeve have chemistry that is unmatched and tangible. I highly recommend this musical (both on stage and on screen!).

• Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender: The animated version of Avatar: The Last Airbender will always have a special place in my heart — it is truly one of the best television shows I have ever watched. When my friends and I found out that the new movie was only being released in 2 movie theaters for 5 days only, we bought tickets to an early morning screening to sit in the third row. It was absolutely worth it.

• Girls: I am only one season into this show for the first time, but I’m enjoying it so far. I’m embracing the chaos and reminiscing about life in 2012.

• By the way…my thoughts on The Odyssey are coming next month instead ;)

books of the month:

• “Into the Blue” - Emma Brodie: Ohhhhhh MAN, I devoured this one! It has been quite some time since a book brought tears to my eyes, but the ending of this one had me welling up. This story is so emotionally charged, and I think this book is the perfect depiction of what showing up for another person looks like.

• “Famesick” - Lena Dunham: I have to admit I am just now watching Girls for the first time, but I really enjoyed this nonetheless. It’s no secret Lena is a super talented writer, and I think she wrote a memoir that is so raw and honest and real.

favorite eats/drinks:

• Nando’s: I had the opportunity to have lunch at Nando’s in Virginia a few weeks ago — and I was stoked beyond belief. I make a Nando’s stop each and every time I am in London, but there are only a few locations in the U.S., so I was delighted to discover one of those locations was only 20 minutes away from my friend’s wedding venue.

• Ellen’s Stardust Diner: No explanation needed for this one, right? Yes, it’s a tourist trap, but yes, I have the time of my life there each time I go.

pictures of the month:

july moments <3

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Also, in case you missed it — Delaney Langdon and I are hosting a NYC Substack Meetup in a few weeks! Check out the details and RSVP link…hope to see you there!

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Until next time!

XO, Daelyn <3